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Authorities apprehended 423 suspects in cybercrime operations conducted across 52 provinces over the past week, with 145 of them formally arrested on charges including qualified fraud, illegal betting, online child pornography and harassment, and computer system intrusion, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced Monday.
The coordinated operations were conducted by provincial police cybercrime departments under the supervision of prosecutors' offices and the Police General Directorate Cybercrime Department.
Minister Yerlikaya stated in a social media post that the operations were centered in 29 provinces but extended across 52 provinces in total.
The comprehensive crackdown targeted crimes including "illegal betting, online child pornography, qualified theft, forming criminal organizations for criminal purposes, laundering assets derived from crime, and using computer systems as tools for criminal activity."
Authorities seized unlicensed pistols and extensive digital materials during the raids, with approximately ₺5 billion ($127.3M) worth of assets confiscated, according to Yerlikaya's announcement.
The seized evidence revealed the scope of sophisticated cybercriminal networks operating across multiple digital platforms.
The arrested suspects employed various methods to defraud citizens through social media platforms and phishing websites, including forex investment partnerships, cryptocurrency investment consulting, gift certificate schemes, vehicle rental deposits, rental bungalow offers, product sales, and digital pyramid schemes.
Investigators determined that the suspects collected bank accounts for use in illegal betting and gambling operations, provided infrastructure for illegal betting websites, facilitated gambling operations and money transfers, possessed obscene images of children, and gained unauthorized access to citizens' mobile banking accounts for illegal profit.
"Just as in the Homeland, we continue our determined fight against crime and criminals in the Cyber Homeland with our virtual patrols," Yerlikaya stated, using metaphorical language to describe Türkiye's commitment to both physical and digital security.
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